


Marry Me Doctor

by nitamar



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 14:24:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1651859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nitamar/pseuds/nitamar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequel to "Till the Next Time I Marry". But you'll be fine if you haven't read that. The title says everything really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Marry Me Doctor

**Author's Note:**

> Set after the Doctor took River to the singing towers in his timeline; after Jack met River somewhere out there in Jack's timeline.

Dating tip from River Song - you can never go subtle with the Doctor. He'll never make the first move.

******

  


 

Jack Harkness sat at the bar, toying the drink in his hand, his eyes fixed on another glass of blue liquid placed in front of the empty seat beside him.

"Is it the tradition of your planet to mourn alone on a stag do?" asked the barman. The people of this planet have a gray hard shell on their faces. Jack was not sure if the barman was being genuine or sarcastic.

"You can't be cheerful when you don't know if the person you're going to marry will turn up or not; let alone if he will marry you." Jack took a sip of his drink.

"But everyone now you're getting married tomorrow, sir."

"That's part of the plan." Jack smiled.

It was getting late and the bar was almost empty. Jack started to wonder if the definition of a stag do for Gallifreians is to have someone burst out of a cake.

"Honestly Jack. Can you not pick a place that is so...obvious. It was impossible to park her unnoticed. Jack broke into a huge grin. The wine glass still pressed to his lower lip. He thought he heard a familiar humming noise. He looked around, but only saw a man with bowtie and long coat. The sight of the man made him forget everything else.

"Bought you a drink." He indicates the glass of blue liquid. He could feel the muscles on his face twitching as he smiled. He mentally kicked himself. RELAX JACK. STICK TO THE PLAN

The Doctor took a big gulp, and paused in his motion to swallow. Jack feared for a split second he's going to vomit. Thankfully he didn't.

"Where's the party Jack? No dancing?" The Doctor looked around the room. "Um...No. It is the tradition of this planet to mourn before the wedding." said Jack, keeping his face as straight as possible. "Oh really?" The Doctor looked fascinated. He raised his glass. "Then mourn, Captain. For the Doctor."

Jack stared at him. Waiting for the old man to break out into a maniac laughter. But the timelord returned to his drink, and was now examining its colour with great interest.

"But you...you're not dead." Jack stuttered. This was not going as planned at all. And he, Jack Harkness, was lost for words. "Oh yes he is, Jack. And keep your voice down." The Doctor winked at him.

"Then who are you?" Jack was alarmed and reached for his gun."Ooops no need for that. Long story Jack. But definitely me. You think any imposer would look this cool?" He straightened his bowtie proudly. "Maybe I should get a disguise. Perhaps a pair of glasses and a cap. What do you think?" "Why do you need a disguise, Doctor?" Jack blurted out. To hell with his plan. "You see, Jack, because the universe thinks I'm dead." he said in a low voice. "Everyone. It was a very, very clever plan. Don't want to spoil it." "So you risked the whole time-space continuum just to see me?" Jack said, a smirk appearing on his face. "It's a bet Jack. I never lose a bet." "You weren't that careful not to be seen the last time. It can't be the same night for you." Jack pointed out. "Well, I was hiding in a cake. That was a very good place to hide if you..." "And you're wearing a different bowtie." concluded Jack. The Doctor's hands flung to his neck and tried to look at his bowtie...with little success. "Here, let me help." said Jack kindly, reaching out to untie the thing. "Jack!" The Doctor beat his hand away swiftly and blushed. "Stop it!" "If you say so." Jack said sweetly, putting his hands back around his drink. Back to the plan after all.

"Remember when you used to say it all the time?" he said casually. The Doctor looked at him. "You were always like 'No, Jack!' "Stop it, Jack!' You know what, Doc, I reckon you were jealous.." "What nonsense Jack!" the Doctor protested, "Why would I be jealous?" "Yes. Why would you indeed. You get engaged or sometimes married across all time and space but I'd never be an option for you." Jack did his best sad face. "Oh not you too Jack. You of all people should understand." The Doctor almost rolled his eyes. "I regret to say this, but marriage does not mean as much to us as it should be. Look at yourself. And I've lost count of the number of times I'm accidentally engaged. People leave, Jack. Everyone have their own lives that one day they will go back to, or one day there will be a danger only one of us can walk out of..." "Tell me about it Doctor." Jak was not longer pretending to be sad. "But we have to live on with it." There was an awkward silence. Jack feared the Doctor would turn around and leave. But he stayed where he was.

"So why are you here, Doc? Of course I understand you miss me very much." "Actually Jack, I just said goodbye to a friend."

Jack looked into the timelord's eyes, and he knew exactly what kind of goodbye it was. "You're more than welcome to stay with me then." Jack said,"I just bought you a drink, see? Told you it's never too late for us." The Doctor put down his drink as if it burnt his hand. "What planet is this, Jack?" Jack just gave him his trade-mark smirk. "Oh lord no." The Doctor whined. "Oh god yes." said Jack, nodding with his eyebrows raised. "I'm afraid we're now engaged." The Doctor looked behind him sharply. "But I told the Tardis to come to your stag do!" "It is my stag do." Jack is really enjoying himself. "Only you arrived a bit earlier." "It doesn't work like that!" the Doctor protested, his face flushed. "Says you." Jack reasoned. The Doctor stuttered, but couldn't think of a return. So he glared at the nothingness behind him instead. "Where did you park her, anyway?" Jack asked. The doctor leaned back on his stool and seems to be leaning on something solid. Jack reached out his hand and felt something humming under his fingers. "You are so clever Doctor." He wondered. The doctor smirked. "Worked better than I thought." He boasted. "Old girl seemed keen." "I think the old girl ships us Doctor." Jack said, patting the smooth surface. The Doctor snorted at the 21st century language. "She never stops! And she complains about ME bringing home strays." "She's just worried about you Doctor." Jack said. "You don't cope well on your own." He draped his arm over the Doctor's shoulder. "Like me." But the last two words seemed to have triggered something inside the timelord. He shrugged off Jack's arm and got off the stool. "Right, gotta go. Till the next time Jack." "But Doctor!" Jack put his hand back on the Tardis in panic and was not so surprised to see the door jammed. "Come one! What's wrong with you!" The Doctor hit where the door should be with his fist.

"At least stay for the wedding tomorrow." Jack stood up and tried to calm him. Arguing with an invisible time machine did look very suspicious. "I'm not getting married again." The Doctor said, his hair bounced as he emphasized each word with a nod, making him look childish and adorable rather than the oncoming storm. "Why not?" said Jack, rubbing the Doctor's tense shoulder. "I heard...you married Doctor Song." "It was the only way. Time was falling apart." The Doctor pushed against Jack, keeping a distance from him. "And look at the other things I did. I killed her. I ruined everyone's life. It's time for me to learn from my mistakes. I'm better off alone." "But nothing will kill me!" Jack said. "And my life can't be more screwed up. I can stay with you as...as long as you want me to."

The Doctor's expression was suddenly calm, the kind that made Jack frightened. "Doctor?" he said, softly and cautiously. "That's not the point Jack," the Doctor said. There was not emotion in his voice. It sounded to Jack like a void. He tried the Tardis door again, but still no luck. He sighed. "I hope you're sure about this." he whispered. And he turned back to face Jack. 

"But I will die, Jack. And I nearly did. That last time I saw you was meant to be farewell on my part. It's not every time I can come up with a clever trick. And I can't do that to you. Because I know better than anyone how that feels, to be alone in the universe. I can go to the end of time and know you're still there. But how will you cope if you know every next time you see me, it will be my past? And you have to keep a brave face and not let slip how I ended? It's hard, Jack. Trust me. Trust a timelord." 

"It's not like you to turn down an adventure before it even started, Doctor." Jack said quietly. He was stunned by what he had just heard, but he'll think about that later. He put both his hands on the Doctor's shoulders. "Death never scares you." "But in the past it was just in between a lot of things happening." "The Doctor struggled with his words and waved his arms instead. "Once you have time to think about it and run away from it, it's a different matter." The Doctor looked carefully to his feet. "Are you saying you were scared, Doctor?" Jack added a hint of surprise into his voice. "Yes I was, Jack. I was properly, properly scared." The Doctor whispered. Jack shoved this too to the pile of "ponder later" and did the only thing appropriate - he tightens his arms and hugged the timelord tight. "You know what, Doctor, when I dreamed about this, it was always the other way around." Jack said. "Dingleberries." came the Doctor’s muffled voice. And Jack laughed.

"So, what about tomorrow?" Jack asked, holding the Doctor's hand as he sat obediently. "No! Too public! I'm supposed to be dead!" said the doctor, suddenly his old bouncy self again. "Private celebrations then?" Jack said, nudging the Doctor. He groaned. "Come on." Jack dragged him up, checked they're alone, and opened the Tardis door.

  



End file.
